From Nothingness to Happiness
by fuwacchi
Summary: "I'm sorry." There was nothing for the other to apologise for, Furihata knew. After all, it wasn't like he could've helped the situation. It was an event the other couldn't avoid from happening. AkaFuri. KiyoHana.


**Title:** From Nothingness to Happiness  
**Words:** 3,365  
**Notes:** Written for week 3 of the _Kuroko no Basuke Secret Santa_ on Tumblr. My partner was afrozaki.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Kuroko no Basuke_.

-x-

Furihata slowly let his arm drop down. The red cellphone in his hand was clasped in a weak grip, and if he just loosened his hold a tad it'd surely have fallen. His brown bangs covered his hazel eyes, casting a dark shadow over his upper face. A frown tugged on his lips, a contrast to his happy mood from just a few minutes ago.

_"I'm sorry."_

There was nothing for the other to apologise for, Furihata knew.

_"I can't make it on Christmas Eve."_

After all, it wasn't like he could've helped the situation. It was an event the other couldn't avoid from happening.

_"My father has demanded I accompany him to a meeting with a possible future business partner."_

It would've been disrespectful to turn down one's father, especially considering how important the heir was to their family's business. His lover, Akashi Seijuurou, was the heir to the Akashi Corporation, after all, and as such his role was essential to the family. The elder Akashi probably wanted to train his son to become a leader capable of achieving the continuous prosperity of the Akashi Corporation. Furihata had no doubt his lover would do a fine job, no, an even better job than his father though.

His grip on the red device tightened, to the point his knuckles went white. Furihata understood, understood that Akashi couldn't escape from his duties. But even so... Even so, he couldn't help feeling the immense disappointment forming inside him at that moment. It was unfair. Akashi had already made plans with him. So to suddenly cancel on him right before the day...

Releasing a big sigh, Furihata's free hand moved up to ruffle his brown locks. He was in no mood to think. Approaching his bed, he decided to sleep the night away. It wouldn't have done him any good to continue with such negative thoughts. After all, Akashi was just as disappointed as he was.

And he understood that, he truly did, but Furihata couldn't help feeling what he felt.

He fell asleep with those last thoughts in mind.

Or at least he tried to.

At the brink of dawn, Furihata found himself still wide awake. Annoyed, he got up, changed out of his pyjamas, headed down the stairs, wrote a note to his parents in order not to worry them, grabbed his scarf hanging on the coat hanger by the door way and left the house. He decided, a morning stroll was necessary.

Wrapping the scarf around his neck, Furihata took a left from the his gate. He wasn't sure where he was headed yet, but he was certain he needed to be out and moving. Maybe he could give Kawahara and Fukuda a call and ask if they wanted to hang out? The two probably didn't have anything to do either.

Taking out his phone from his pant pocket, he was about to do just that when his eyes landed on the time. It wasn't even seven-thirty yet. Sighing, Furihata placed his phone back in his pocket. The two of them were most likely still sound asleep.

And so, he continued his stroll towards nothingness. He didn't have a desination in mind, so he just kept walking and walking and walking until his stomach finally growled in protest. Ah, it was then Furihata recalled he hadn't eaten anything since the previous night's dinner. Turning in the opposite direction, the brunet remembered passing by a convenience store earlier. He'd just buy a few rice balls from there. It'd be enough to satisfy him for the time being, he figured.

When his stomach was finally sated, it was already a quarter past eight. Kawahara and Fukuda were probably awake now, but he couldn't be certain. After all, Furihata knew there was a high chance the two were sleeping in as they were both girlfriend-less and didn't see a need to do anything special for the day.

Furihata stopped in his tracks. Would it have been better if he didn't have anything to do today because he didn't have a special someone, he wondered. Surely he would've been disappointed, but the disappointment wouldn't have been as great as he was currently experiencing. The inability to spend Christmas Eve doing something special despite having a lover.

No, no, he snapped out of it with a rough shake of his head, bad thoughts, bad thoughts. He shouldn't have thought like that. If anything, Furihata was grateful for his encounter with Akashi, albeit their first meeting really scared him. If it weren't for Akashi, he would've still been pursuing a helpless love that would've never beared fruit.

"Ah!"

Whipping his head around at the surprised gasp, Furihata laid eyes upon a very tall male with chocolate brown hair and equally brown eyes. By the male's side was another shorter male. His black hair reached his chin and a frown adorned his lips. When Furihata made contact with his dark eyes, the other clenched his teeth, the grinding sounds loud to the brunet's ears, and threw a sinister glare in his direction.

"Eh? Kiyoshi-senpai and... Hanamiya-san from Kirisaki Daiichi?!" Furihata screeched, taking a step back in fear from the latter's menacing aura.

Kiyoshi laughed in response. Furihata didn't understand how the other could do so in such a situation. Hanamiya Makoto was the one who injured him and nearly disabled him from playing basketball!

Waving, Kiyoshi beamed at his team mate. "Yo."

Furihata shrunk back at his senior's cheerful attitude. With Kiyoshi standing next to Hanamiya, Furihata swore he could see rainbows and sunshine behind the former, and gloomy clouds and thunder behind the latter. It was rather unnerving how Kiyoshi could be in the presence of the other and not be affected. Furihata respected that part of his senior, a contrast to his cowardly self.

Still, that didn't stop Furihata from thinking that Kiyoshi was, pardon him, an idiot. He wasn't one to insult others, but Kiyoshi did really stupid things at times. However, when the time called for it he'd suddenly be really reliable. Furihata envied his senior for that.

"Ah... Kiyoshi-senpai..." He was still uncertain of what to make of the strange pair. "What brings the two of you here at this time?"

A laugh escaped the tallest teen's lips. "Oh, us? We're on a da—" He was cut off by a jab into his gut by the raven beside him. "Ouch...!" Turning to look at the source of his pain, he questioned, unsure of what he'd done wrong this time, "What's wrong, Hanamiya?"

The aforementioned teen merely 'tsk'ed under his breath before turning his head away from both brunets, his arms crossed and eyes clenched shut in irritation. Kiyoshi rubbed at his side where he could still feel the sting from the jab. Noticing Hanamiya's brows drawn into an annoyed frown, Kiyoshi commented, "C'mon, 'Miya, you look like an old man when you frown."

If the words Kiyoshi was about to utter right before the male was interrupted didn't faze the brunet, assuming if Furihata's assumption was correct in guessing what the word was, the nickname certainly blew him away. ''Miya.' A shortened version of 'Hanamiya'. How... _girly_. Furihata nearly snorted if not for the Kirisaki Daiichi captain who glared at Kiyoshi with eyes that promised death. The gaze wasn't even directed at him, but Furihata could feel chills travelling up his spine.

"Don't call me that," Hanamiya growled out, his eyes glaring daggers and his whole body emanating a murderous atmosphere.

"Eh, what? You mean ''Miya'?"

This was one of the situations where Furihata feared for his senior's life. Sometimes Kiyoshi was an airhead at the worst times. _And the male was still grinning...!_

Naturally, the grin only fuelled the fire. Hanamiya truly looked like he'd kill the other at that moment. Furihata decided he had to save his senior. Nevermind the fact he'd probably die doing so, if the way Hanamiya's mood worsened with each second was any indication.

"Erm... Are the two of you dating?"

Both heads snapped to his direction at his meek question. Furihata was close to one hundred per cent certain that the two were going out. The reason it wasn't a hundred per cent was simply due to doubt. He still couldn't believe that Kiyoshi would date someone like Hanamiya, someone who caused him much grief in the past.

"Hah?!" Hanamiya screeched. "Who would go out with the likes of him?!"

"Ehhh? That's mean, 'Miya~" Despite his comment, Kiyoshi didn't seem the least bit offended.

As the two continued to bicker, or at least one side did and the other waved it off, Furihata felt awkward before the pair. He kind of felt like a third wheel... If only Akashi was here, he found himself thinking before berating himself for being so selfish.

"By the way," Kiyoshi interrupted his thoughts, "where's Akashi?"

Furihata snapped up at the name, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. "A-Akashi-kun?"

"Yeah, you two had plans today, right?"

Yeah, they did, Furihata recalled glumly. Both Kiyoshi and Furihata had declined the invitation to join the Christmas party held later on that night with the rest of the Seirin Basketball Club. The freshmen all already knew he was seeing Akashi, but the sophomores only knew that he had a date. He shouldn't have been surprised Kiyoshi knew about their relationship, but to have been called out on it... Well, it was kind of a big blow to Furihata at that moment when Akashi wasn't with him. He didn't know how to tell Kiyoshi that he was stood up without sounding like he was whining.

"A-ah... W-well..." He trailed off, uncertain how to continue.

"Heh, he was probably stood up, no?" The snide remark came from no other than Hanamiya.

Furihata flinched. He hadn't been expecting an on the mark answer, especially from Hanamiya who hardly knew a thing about him.

"Oh," Kiyoshi started, surprise registering on his face blithely before being replaced with a smile. "Then why don't you join us?"

Both Furihata and Hanamiya were caught off guard by the suggestion. "Wha—!"

"C'mon, it'll be fun~"

"Uh... That's fine, Kiyoshi-senpai... I wouldn't want to intrude..."

"Damn right! If he's coming with us, I'm leaving!"

"Ehhh? You're leaving, 'Miya?"

He wasn't sure what it was in Kiyoshi's gaze, but Furihata knew something went on between the pair as Hanamiya instantly shut his mouth when his lover glanced at him.

"So, you'll come with us, won't you, Furi?"

It didn't seem like he had a choice to begin with. All Furihata could do was meekly nod his head, lost at the interaction between the two, and scared from having to spend more time with the evil captain from a rival team.

They went to Maji Burger after a visit to the park. It was awkward to say the least. Kiyoshi was the only one energetic enough to play around. He insisted on going down the slide despite his large stature. Naturally he got stuck there and a young girl who had been patiently waiting for her turn after Kiyoshi, cried. Hanamiya looked like he wanted to run away. Furihata could feel a mutual understanding between them at that moment. They both pretended they didn't know the giant stuck on the slide. It didn't help that Kiyoshi kept yelling out their names.

Sighing, Furihata laid his forehead on the table's surface. Kiyoshi and Hanamiya had went to order for the three of them while he reserved their seats. The brunet felt as though he was a third wheeler, despite already being taken. Although Kiyoshi welcomed his presence, it was obvious the other did not. Hanamiya kept sending him glares and even though Furihata attempted to start a conversation with him, albeit rather nervously, he was coldly shot down.

He came back to reality as a soft thunk registered in his ears. Looking up, he saw the pair of lovers on the opposite side of the booth he occupied. Pushing a tray towards Furihata, Kiyoshi offered him a drink, a small bag of fries and a cheeseburger. "My treat," he said.

"A-ah, thank you," Furihata replied with a slight bow of his head. It would've been rude to decline when his senior had been nice enough to shout him.

Glancing at the raven, the brunet noticed Hanamiya was actively staring outside the glass window as he ate his burger. It seemed he was doing his best to avoid looking at both Seirin students.

"Um..." He flinched as the older teens gave him all their attention. It was almost enough for him to shrink back into his seat and hopefully become one with it. Hanamiya's gaze was the most frightening; it really made him want to disappear. "I-is it really all right for me to be here?"

"What do you mean, Furi?"

Ugh, why was Kiyoshi so dense at times? Furihata nearly facepalmed. "Am I not intruding on your alone time, Kiyoshi-senpai?"

"Of course you are," Hanamiya cut Kiyoshi off as the latter was about to give his reply. "This guy's too damn nice," he sneered in disgust as he uttered the words. "He said he wanted you here, though, so stop doubting him, brat."

Although the insult registered in his mind, Furihata didn't feel the least bit offended. If anything, he really respected Hanamiya at that moment. Furihata knew. Knew that Hanamiya didn't like him and his presence during their Christmas Eve which was supposed to have been spent together between the two lovers. Alone. However, the raven held it all in and accepted him, albeit rather grudgingly, because Kiyoshi had wanted to spend time with him. He was mature enough to hold back his dislikes for the sake of his lover. Furihata respected Hanamiya Makoto for that.

"I-I see... Thank you." As he uttered out the last two words, Furihata flashed the other a shy smile.

"Don't misunderstand though," Hanamiya surprised him by continuing. "Teppei's mine at night."

Laughing nervously at the implications of the other's words, Furihata gave a small nod in understanding. He didn't want Kiyoshi in that way anyway. Hanamiya merely 'hmph'ed and turned his head away, returning to his previous task of staring out the window.

Kiyoshi chuckled. "Isn't 'Miya such a dear, Furi? Ouch—!"

Furihata agreed that Kiyoshi deserved the jab in the gut this time.

As he watched the pair bicker for the nth time, Furihata felt a sting in his chest. He missed Akashi. He wanted to see Akashi. He _needed_ to see Akashi.

Quickly finishing his meal, Furihata stood up. Both seniors looked at him in surprise at his sudden action.

"Furi?"

Directing them both a ninety degree bow, he said, firmly, "Thank you for your time today, but I have something I must do."

Kiyoshi had been about to start another lecture about how Furihata wasn't intruding on them, but when he made contact with those hazel brown eyes, a shade or two lighter than his own, he understood. Understood that Furihata had come to a decision.

"I see..." Smiling, he continued, "You're welcome!"

Carrying his tray of rubbish, he emptied it into the bin before leaving the fast food chain. He then made his way back home. It was a little past three in the afternoon. Furihata hadn't been aware he had spent about six or seven hours with his seniors.

Although he needed to see Akashi, Furihata knew he shouldn't disturb the other. Indeed, he had come to a decision. Furihata was grateful to Hanamiya, he really was. Watching the other made him realise how selfish he was. If Hanamiya could hold back for his lover, then Furihata could do the same. After all, there were many solutions to this problem. They could always spend time alone another day. Akashi would definitely make up for their missed time, he always did. Besides, there was always Christmas next year and the year after that. They could spend it together, then. That was also the reason why he had left the pair at Maji Burger. It wasn't right to have continued intruding on their time. He owed Hanamiya at least that much.

Yawning, Furihata finally felt the fatigue from the previous day catch up to him. He opted to take a nap and when he woke up, maybe he'd attend the Seirin Basketball Club's Christmas party. Surely the others wouldn't have minded his change of plans. They were good friends and like a family to him, after all.

When he woke up, he was met with nothing but darkness. Glancing at his digital clock, the blaring red lights glared back at him. _Shit...!_ He sat up with a jump. He hadn't meant to sleep through the entire afternoon and half way through the night. It was nearly nine! Sighing, he fell back into his covers. He probably missed out on a good two or three hours of the Christmas party already. Furihata didn't see the point of going there only for an hour before heading home so he decided to just go back to sleep.

He rolled over, only to come into contact with a porcelain face. Tufts of scarlet red hair clung to the sides of the sleeping beauty. Behind those closed eyelids, Furihata was certain beautiful jewels of ruby and garnet were hidden. From between slightly parted plush lips, came soft snores.

Furihata held back a scream of surprise. He hadn't expected Akashi to be there! Lifting up the covers, he noticed the red head was still wearing his suit. The other must have came directly from the business meeting. A small smile of fondness slowly made its way up his lips at that thought. The other, certainly, was very tired and yet he made the effort to come all this way to see him.

As Furihata continued staring at nothingness, completely lost in his mushy feelings of happiness, he hadn't noticed the red haired beauty stir. Scarlet and gold heterochromatic eyes revealed itself to the world as eyelids slid open. The first thing Akashi spotted was the brunet who had his eyes on him but wasn't _looking_ at him. It seemed as if the other male was lost in his own world. Akashi used that to his advantage, admiring the soft expression the other adorned. A beautiful smile graced Furihata's lips and his hazel brown eyes shone with joy. Just seeing the expression had Akashi's heart squeezing tightly, uncomfortably, but it was a good kind of hurt.

Reaching up, Akashi pulled the brunet down, eliciting a gasp of surprise from the latter. "Kouki..." He breathed in, deeply. The other's scent was overwhelming him. It smelled of mint, vanilla and... and _Kouki_... "I've missed you."

Furihata flushed at his lover's antics. "A-Akashi-kun...!" He started pushing at the other's chest in embarrassment. The brunet was mortified, Akashi had caught him staring!

"Sorry." The sudden apology caught Furihata off guard, causing him to stop his actions of distancing them. He didn't understand where the apology suddenly came from. "I couldn't make it." When Furihata still didn't understand, Akashi added, "Christmas Eve."

It was then Furihata understood. Understood that Akashi really was just as disappointed as he was. Regret was actually visible in those heterochromatic eyes and the brunet felt his heart leap, fly, _soar_. Despite how upset he was throughout the whole day, knowing they mutually felt the same about the event had Furihata's heart jumping in happiness.

Placing his hand on Akashi's cheek, Furihata whispered, "It's still Christmas Eve. You made it."

Akashi, for the nth time, found himself thinking that Furihata was beautiful. That smile reserved only for him, and him only, was currently gracing the brunet's lips. There was a soft sheen of red dusking across his cheeks, but it only made him all the more beautiful.

Leaning his forehead against the other's, Akashi muttered, just as quiet, "Yeah..." he drawled, feeling fatigue hanging over his head again. "Merry Christmas, Kouki," he whispered before falling back to dream land.

Smile still plastered on, Furihata repeated, "Yeah. Merry Christmas, Akashi-kun." He placed a chaste kiss on the other's forehead, then temples, then the nose and, lastly, on Akashi's lips.

"Good night. Sweet dreams."


End file.
